{"id":116084,"date":"2025-04-06T10:16:02","date_gmt":"2025-04-06T10:16:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/mathew-bowyer-the-bookmaker-for-ippei-mizuhara-discusses-the-sports-betting-controversy\/"},"modified":"2025-04-06T10:16:02","modified_gmt":"2025-04-06T10:16:02","slug":"mathew-bowyer-the-bookmaker-for-ippei-mizuhara-discusses-the-sports-betting-controversy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/mathew-bowyer-the-bookmaker-for-ippei-mizuhara-discusses-the-sports-betting-controversy\/","title":{"rendered":"Mathew Bowyer, the bookmaker for Ippei Mizuhara, discusses the sports betting controversy."},"content":{"rendered":"

What are Mathew Bowyer’s thoughts on the impact of his upcoming sentencing on his life? How did the illegal bookmaking operation gain such significant attention? What might Bowyer\u2019s future endeavors look like after serving his sentence? What role did Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter play in this scandal, and what implications does it have for Ohtani?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

The party was planned months ago to celebrate Mathew Bowyer\u2019s 50th birthday Friday with 140 family members and friends who stuck by him during his troubled times, and only those he still wanted to remain in his life. This was not only going to be a lavish five-hour affair at the Bottega Angelina restaurant in Laguna Niguel, California but also a celebration of life and bringing closure to a dark chapter in his life. It was the day, April 4, Bowyer was also going to be sentenced by the federal government for running one of the largest illegal bookmaking operations in the country, captivating the nation and all of Japan, with the ugly involvement of Shohei Ohtani\u2019s interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. Bowyer\u2019s sentencing has instead been delayed to Oct. 3, giving him more time to get his life in order, but also adding six more months of stress while thinking about his fate. <\/p>\n

\u201cI would have preferred to get this over with, man," Bowyer told USA TODAY Sports. \u201cI know people have told me that the longer the delay, the better for sentencing. It\u2019s just the anxiety of the unknown that sucks. I feel like I\u2019m in a pickle between second and third base, but closer to second base." <\/p>\n

Bowyer, who pleaded guilty last August to running an illegal gambling business, money laundering and false tax returns, faces 18 years in prison, but says he expects to receive a sentence of 17 to 37 months after cooperating with government officials. He\u2019ll certainly receive a lighter penalty than the 57 months in prison that Mizuhara was sentenced for bank and tax fraud, and stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani. <\/p>\n

Mizuhara, one of more than 700 clients of Bowyer, placed at least 19,000 bets in excess of $300 million with Bowyer\u2019s bookmaking operation from Sept. 2021 to Jan. 2024, gambling up to $100,000 a game. It\u2019s the Ohtani-Mizuhara relationship that has fascinated film producers and national media outlets. Bowyer says he has written an 87,000-word, 16-chapter book on his life called, \u201cRecalibrate," that will also be published once he knows his fate. <\/p>\n

\u201cMy life was like the ‘Wolf of Wall Street,\u2019 but if Shohei\u2019s name wasn\u2019t involved in this,\u2019\u2019 Bowyer said, \u201cnobody would give a [expletive] about me. You\u2019re talking about the biggest athlete in the world. I don\u2019t think we\u2019ll ever see a player like this again in our lifetime." <\/p>\n

We may also spend the rest of Ohtani\u2019s lifetime wondering just how much Ohtani knew about Mizuhara\u2019s gambling addiction, and whether he had even the slightest involvement. \u201cI know the whole world wants to know," Bowyer says, \u201cbut to this day, I truly don\u2019t know. They are the only two people in the world who really know the truth, Shohei and Ippei. I truly believe that Shohei doesn\u2019t gamble, but I think he knew some area of demise with Ippei, just maybe not to that extent." <\/p>\n

The federal government and Major League Baseball believe Ohtani was nothing more than a victim of fraud. He was quickly cleared by federal investigators and MLB of having no knowledge that Mizuhara was stealing from his account, nor aware of any of the 19,000 bets Mizuhara placed with Bowyer for nearly 2 \u00bd years. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely possible Ohtani didn\u2019t know anything, but plausible is a different answer," Bowyer says. \u201cI gambled bigger than most. I hid my emotions better than most. But you can only hide so much when you\u2019re in serious turmoil. And clearly, he was in serious turmoil. If this is true that Ippei was the guy, and gambling all by himself the whole time, I don\u2019t know how you could hide that from your best friend, someone you were with almost 24 hours a day? They were inseparable. And if you really could hide that from his best friend for so long \u2013 then how could Shohei Ohtani not see $17 million gone from his account?" <\/p>\n

While Mizuhara has been proven to be a degenerate gambler, there is not a shred of evidence he ever bet on baseball. Not a single bet involving was made with Bowyer involved baseball, Bowyer insists, which was supported by the federal government and MLB\u2019s investigations. Bowyer says MLB never interviewed him during its investigation, but a person with direct knowledge of the MLB investigation said an attempt to contact Bowyer was rebuffed by his attorney. <\/p>\n

\u201cMy obligation was to the federal government," Bowyer says. \u201cIf we had wanted to talk, there was really no value in it for me." Considering the exorbitant amount of the wagers, Bowyer assumed all along that Ohtani was aware of Mizuhara\u2019s gambling addiction, particularly with Ohtani’s name on multiple $500,000 wire transfers. Yet, he never met Ohtani. Never talked to Ohtani. Never once sought the truth. <\/p>\n

\u201cI never had a discussion with Ippei directly on who\u2019s making the bets," says Bowyer, who originally met Mizuhara at a private poker game in 2021 after an Angels-Padres game in San Diego. \u201cPeople ask me all of the time, ‘Why wouldn\u2019t you?\u2019 I say, ‘Why would I?\u2019 It\u2019s not my business to pry into their business. How are they getting the money? Who\u2019s betting for who? There comes a point where you don\u2019t want the answer, and I was afraid of the truth. <\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t do drugs. I didn\u2019t harm people. I was just a businessman providing a service to people." Once Bowyer serves his time, he wants to prove a different type of service. He wants to help athletes avoid the gambling web that ensnared five minor league players last season, including Tucupita Marcano, a former San Diego Padres player who received a lifetime ban for placing more than $150,000 worth of bets on baseball games. Umpire Pat Hoberg, considered one of the game\u2019s finest home plate umpires, was fired last season for his involvement with sports gambling. Atlanta minor leaguer David Fletcher, who placed smaller wagers on football games with Bowyer, still is being investigated by MLB. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe never bet on baseball, he just bet on sports," Bowyer said of Fletcher, who was also a golfing buddy. \u201cI feel bad for him. This tarnished him. He did nothing wrong in my opinion. He was just doing what I think more than half of the athletes are doing." <\/p>\n

MLB, which is trying to balance its partnerships with legal sports betting companies while maintaining the integrity of the game, permits its players to bet on other sports, but only if it\u2019s done legally in states where sports betting is allowed. California remains one of 12 states that has not legalized gambling. <\/p>\n

Bowyer believes that about 50% of athletes gamble on other sports. Most of the gambling is legal, but there, of course, are outliers in all sports with Jontay Porter of the Toronto Raptors receiving a lifetime ban last year after providing confidential information to sport gamblers. <\/p>\n

\u201cAthletes are always going to bet on sports," Bowyer says. \u201cThey are competitive people. But at the end of the day, how do they control it? It\u2019s really sad to see some of these guys ruin their lives over this. There\u2019s a big problem here, I don\u2019t know what the exact answer is, but they have to figure it out fast." <\/p>\n

Bowyer, who went from a Chevy\u2019s restaurant waiter to a stock broker to purchasing $550,000 cars and flying on private planes and staying in presidential suites, details his life story in his book. He also opened social media accounts six months ago on X and Instagram. <\/p>\n

Bowyer says he "wants to be hired by the NFL or MLB to come sit down and talk to these kids and tell them how to avoid these mistakes … I want to make them aware of making better choices, better decisions and avoiding these things. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to save other people from taking the same footsteps and falling in the same mistakes I made." <\/p>\n

In the meantime, Bowyer awaits his sentencing. His court case will be presided over by the same judge who sentenced Mizuhara: U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb. Bowyer, who grew up a Boston Red Sox fan because of Roger Clemens, says he has cut all of the bad influences out of his life. He\u2019s eager to see what lies ahead and says companies are vying to do a documentary. Video and podcast crews are already filming episodes with Bowyer to be released in the future. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you have $5 to $6 million on a football game," Bowyer says, \u201cthat adrenaline rush is really hard to replace. But you can still find it in something else, and in my case, it\u2019s rebuilding my life. I have five kids to feed. I want to leave a legacy for them. I want them to see how their dad dealt with adversity. <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t go hiding in a corner. I don\u2019t resort to drugs and alcohol. I resort to rebuilding my life." <\/p>\n

Bowyer, who spoke for five minutes at his birthday party, thanking everyone for being part of his life, says he\u2019s much more emotional than he\u2019s ever been in his life. He no longer takes anything for granted. Not since that morning in October 2023 when federal agents raided his home. <\/p>\n

\u201cEverything is so heightened now," Bowyer says. \u201cMy freedom. Time with my family. Time with friends. I loved the gambling, the traveling, but sitting on a couch now, doing nothing, watching baseball games on my own, I\u2019m enjoying it. I go to the beach now more than I have in 50 years, walking my dogs, watching my kids play volleyball, just enjoying life. <\/p>\n

\u201cI never wanted the FBI to raid my home, but you know, it\u2019s been a blessing in a lot of ways. <\/p>\n

\u201cTruly, it gives me a chance to recalibrate." <\/p>\n

Around the basepaths<\/h3>\n

\u2013 While there was a rash of extensions this past week, no extension is more widely anticipated than the $500 million contract that Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is expected to receive, perhaps this week. <\/p>\n

Despite Guerrero\u2019s spring-training deadline of the start of spring training, the Blue Jays and Guerrero\u2019s representatives continue to negotiate, exchanging figures and are expected to reach a resolution any day. <\/p>\n

The deal will keep Guerrero in Toronto for at least 14 years, ending any ideas for the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets, who were atop of Guerrero\u2019s wish list if he became a free agent. <\/p>\n

\u2013 The Chicago White Sox, despite all of the rumors and speculation, are NOT being sold. White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, 90, has made it perfectly clear to friends that he has zero interest in selling as long as he remains in good health. <\/p>\n

He has rebuffed all of minority investor Justin Ishbia\u2019s requests to purchase controlling interest of the team. <\/p>\n

\u2013 In an informal survey of baseball executives and agents, Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet received the best extension for a player, five years, $170 million, despite having only one full season as a starter. <\/p>\n

The best team-friendly extension: San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill\u2019s nine-year, $135 million contract extension. The idea of Merrill averaging just $15 million a year had lawyers from the players union strongly advising him to reject the offer. <\/p>\n

\u2013 Ketel Marte received the third extension of his career since being traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, bringing in $64 million in new money. Yet, not only is he deferring $46 million, but he has agreed to take a substantial pay cut this season. He was scheduled to earn $19 million this year in his original contract, but has agreed to take a pay cut to $14 million, while also deferring $5 million. It provides the D-backs $10 million in flexible spending after being stuck with starter Jordan Montgomery\u2019s entire $22.5 million this season. <\/p>\n

\u2013 The Minnesota Twins, who were asking interested parties to submit their bids by April 1, now are telling prospective owners they have another 45 days as they continue to seek $1.7 billion. <\/p>\n

\u2013 Please, enough with the talk of the "torpedo bats." When Cubs manager Craig Counsell was asked if he was surprised that it took this long to manufacture this type of bat, Counsell said: \u201cI\u2019m curious how it took you guys so long to figure out we were using it.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u2013 The Major League Baseball Players Association have boosted their staff and compensation the past four years, according to the LM-2 reports filed. <\/p>\n

Their total of employee disbursements has gone from $12.1 million in 2021 to $15.9 million to $16.4 million to $26.3 million this past season. <\/p>\n

Executive director Tony Clark is the highest-paid executive with the union at $3.25 million, which is actually $840,000 less than a year ago. It\u2019s a higher salary than NFL executive director Lloyd Howell ($2.062 million), but pales in comparison to former NFL union chief DeMaurice Smith ($9.3 million). <\/p>\n

\u2013 MLB still has not formulated any formal expansion plans, but one owner insists it won\u2019t come until 2031, with Salt Lake City and Nashville the favorites. <\/p>\n

\u2013 The Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs are the favorites to be selected as the three host cities for the MLB All-Star game the remainder of the decade after Atlanta this year and Philadelphia in 2026. <\/p>\n

\u2013 Atlanta, who spent most of their money on outfielder Jurickson Profar this winter with a three-year, $42 million contract, now have to wonder if they were scammed. <\/p>\n

Profar was popped for using PEDs, drawing an 80-game suspension while being banned from the playoffs. The question now is how will he look when he returns. He hit .280 with a career-high 24 homers and an .839 OPS last season with the Padres, but was it simply a byproduct of PEDs? <\/p>\n

\u2013 The Arizona Diamondbacks will face the San Diego Padres in a two-game series next year in Mexico City. <\/p>\n

\u2013 It\u2019s almost eerie how close Aaron Judge\u2019s stats in his first 1,000 games are to Babe Ruth\u2019s first 1,000 games with the Yankees. <\/p>\n

Ruth: 321 HRs in 4,455 plate appearances: 1 HR every 13.88 plate appearances.
\nJudge: 321 HRs in 4,355 plate appearances: 1 HR every 13.57 plate appearances. <\/p>\n

Ruth played his 1,000th game of his Yankee career in Pittsburgh. Judge played his 1,000th game in Philadelphia. Ruth was 32 years, 113 days old at the time of his 1,000th Yankee game. Judge was 32 years, 343 days old. <\/p>\n

\u2013 Just how surreal has Judge been in his last 162 games entering Saturday? <\/p>\n